Israel Must Increase Its Strength to Meet Danger, Ben Gurion Says

July 22, 1958

JERUSALEM (Jul. 21)

Israel’s duty is to strengthen its power to counter the increasing Nasserist danger, Prime Minister David Ben Gurion told the Knesset today. The Government is doing all it can along those lines, the Premier added.

Mr. Ben Gurion made his statement in responding to two motions for a full-scale parliamentary debate on the Middle East situation. The motions, by the right-wing Herut Party and by the Communists, were defeated overwhelmingly.

The Prime Minister described the events in Iraq as posing “undoubtedly the gravest danger since our War of Liberation (in 1948).” He warned: “The danger of encirclement by Nasser is growing, and it is our duty to do all we can to obviate this danger. But this does not depend on us alone. “The world situation, he stated, is becoming more and more complicated and the situation in the Middle East is becoming “more dangerous.” “Therefore.” he said, “Israel must concentrate its efforts to increase its strength.”

The Prime Minister insisted that, instead of an open parliamentary debate, such a discussion be held in Parliament’s committee on foreign and security affairs. The Cabinet is expected to meet, possibly tomorrow, to discuss the entire Middle East situation, including the British overflights on the way to Jordan.